Washington Post Editorial Board Says It Will Stop Using The Name 'Redskins'

As the Washington Redskins' name debate drags on, team owner Dan Snyder continues to lose support.

The editorial board of The Washington Post announced Friday that the newspaper will no longer use the word 'Redskins' in its section.

“While we wait for the NFL to catch up with public opinion and common decency we have decided not to use the slur ourselves except when it is essential for clarity or effect," the board said in a statement.

The editorial board is separate from the news-gathering portion of the paper, which includes the sports section. There is no ban on the word in those parts of the paper.

“The Post's newsroom and the editorial page operate independently of each other," executive editor Marty Baron said. "Standard operating policy in the newsroom has been to use the names that established institutions choose for themselves. That remains our policy, as we continue to vigorously cover controversy over the team’s name and avoid any advocacy role on this subject.”

In Friday's statement, the editorial board applauded referee Mike Carey, who recently revealed he requested not to officiate Redskins games due to the name. "We were impressed this week by the quiet integrity of Mike Carey," the editorial board said.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office delivered a hefty knock on Snyder and the team name when it canceled the Redskins' trademark registration in June. The name has been condemned by a variety of journalists, athletes and politicians, including President Barack Obama.